


How the Shadow Paths came to be

by WahlBuilder



Series: Martian Tales [3]
Category: Mars: War Logs, The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Fairy Tale Style, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-05-23 14:59:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14936493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WahlBuilder/pseuds/WahlBuilder
Summary: A traditional Martian tale on the origin of the Shadow Paths.





	How the Shadow Paths came to be

In the early days when the Human angered the Sun and the Sun breathed hot breath upon Mars, the animals and Humans scattered, hiding in canyons. In canyons, they choked on ash and fell into eternal sleep under the blanket of ash, and those who were buried, would sleep for four and four millions of years.

The Black-Eyed One was walking the plains, floating with hot air, drifting with the ash, peering into the canyons. Four and four thousands of creatures had fallen asleep under the soft, thick blanket of ash.

The Black-Eyed One walked further, in the darkness where the air was choked, in the glaring burning light where it was not. Poor creatures of Mars were hiding in caves and canyons and cracks and shadows, and those who hadn’t fallen asleep under ash, were crying and moaning for help.

Four and four years the Black-Eyed One walked and watched. Some creatures moved at night and burned on the plains or fell into cracks in the ground that opened suddenly because of quakes. Others tried to settle in the places they had hidden in. All had been torn away from their kin.

The Black-Eyed One walked, and watched, and listened, and did not like it. At last the Black-Eyed One started climbing the tallest pile of ash that was piercing the sky. Tall the Black-Eyed One was, tall and quick, but the mountain was taller still and the climb hard, but even climbing higher and higher, the Black-Eyed One could hear the cries of the creatures underneath, and climb the Black-Eyed One did, for who else would care for the creatures of Mars?

Higher and higher the Black-Eyed One climbed, and the layer of ash-filled air was left below. Higher and higher the Black-Eyed One floated, and the murderous, angry glare of the Sun peered right unto the Black-Eyed One, and speckles of light that were stars-but-not-stars had been stuck on the ridges and slopes of the mountain, and to this day one can see them glittering in the light of the morning.

Four and four days it took the Black-Eyed One to reach the summit, and here, the lights were shining around and above and beside and below, and the eye of the Sun was clear and burning, and still the cries of the creatures of Mars could be heard, and still the Sun was not satisfied enough with their cries and tears and burns and pain.

The Black-Eyed One frowned and asked, ‘O vengeful Sun, have you not caused enough cries and tears and burns and pain?’

And the Sun said, ‘Not enough.’

The Black-Eyed One frowned further and asked, ‘O murderous Sun, have you not lulled enough creatures to sleep under the thick blanket of ash for four and four millions of years?’

And the Sun said, ‘Not enough.’

The Black-Eyed One frowned even deeper and asked, ‘O vicious Sun, have you not forced enough creatures to hide in caves and cracks and shadows?’

And again the Sun said, ‘Not enough!’

The Black-Eyed One frowned even more and asked, ‘O spiteful Sun, have you not caused enough creatures to move at night and burn on the plains and fall into cracks in the ground that opened suddenly because of quakes?’

And once more the Sun said, ‘Not enough!’

The Black-Eyed One sighed. ‘Then I shall have to deal with it, you petty, baleful orb.’ And before the Sun could retort, the Black-Eyed One’s arms stretched over Mars, to the north, and the south, and the west, and the east, and shadows were cast from them and fell on the ground, and so thick were the shadows that the ground darkened under them, and when the Black-Eyed One started descending from the summit, the shadows clung to the ground, and the creatures of Mars could move to their kin under those shadows.

Thus, the Shadow Paths came to be.


End file.
